Long Ball Hurts Myers
Brett Myers gave up five runs and three home runs in last night's 5-4 loss to the Marlins.
Long Ball Hurts Myers
Todd Zolecki
Brett Myers didn't pitch like an opening day starter last night in Florida. (WILFREDO LEE / Associated Press)
It had looked like Brett Myers had moved past his early season struggles.
In his previous two starts, he had a 2.35 ERA (four earned runs in 15 1/3 innings). He had allowed seven hits, nine walks and struck out 19. Opponents had hit just .135 against him. And in his previous four starts, he had a 3.62 ERA (11 earned runs in 27 1/3 innings). It looked like he had turned a corner and had started to be the pitcher the Phillies expected him to be. But in a 5-4 loss last night to the Marlins at Dolphin Stadium, Myers allowed five runs and three home runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Myers is 3-8 with a 5.34 ERA.
"I pretty much stunk," Myers said. "I didn't go out there and shut them down like I was supposed to do."
Every pitcher is allowed a bad start or two, so we'll have to see how Myers responds Sunday in St. Louis. If he pitches well, you can call last night a bad start mixed in with a bunch of better ones. If he struggles, it is fair to ask which Myers it the real Myers: the one with the 3.64 ERA in a four-start stretch or the one with a 5.91 ERA after his first nine starts.
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Comments (47)
Norma, i think half the time Chase takes the first pitch is b/c Rollins and Shane made quick outs. He is trying to help his pitcher by making the other team stay in the field longer. Utley seems to be more aggresive with his pitch selection when there are men on base or less than two outs. At least it seems that way to me.— timm- So true, bski!— Mark1npt
- NORMA: Just having a little fun. You served up a fat BP fastball right down the middle. I had to take a rip at it.******BOBBY & MARK: Thanks. Gotta lighten things up once in a while, especially regarding Eaton.— bski
- Bottom line as I said repeatedly in the off season-B. Myers sux. The Phils have no prayer in the playoffs unles they add a quality pitcher. Chase has not proven himself to be a prime time player. Howard has proven that he can carry a team in Sept(06). the rest are what they are. Moyer and Kendrick are not going to get it done in the playoffs period.— Truth
- timm.....I think you might be right about Chase's at-bats. I'm going to start paying more attention.— Norma
- bski....I took the Eaton comment as "having a little fun". I knew as soon as I posted, that I would get grief! LOL!— Norma
- Truth: Utley not ready for prime time?!? You gotta be kidding me. He's one of the best players in baseball right now and was last year. I think what makes the Phils so good so far this year is that they don't have to rely on one player do it all. Each game one player or a combination of players gives them a "W". I agree that they could use another starter especially if Myers does not do well in St. Louis.— KarenA
Karen, a tip: When you see a post with the word "truth" after "posted by," simply skip to the next post and read on. Life's too short.— bobby- KAREN: We do need another starter, but where is he going to come from and whom will he replace? You've got to figure we'll only get someone decent from a team that's already out of the race. For example, I've read that the Padres will most likely be looking to move Maddux and Wolf. Even if we get someone, then what? Unless either Myers or Eaton are included as part of the deal, who gets bumped? Myers is the most logical choice as he has had success out of the pen. Even if Myers accepts a mid-season move to the pen whom does he replace, Clay Condrey? Or do we pick up nobody and just have Durbin and Myers switch spots? I doubt Myers would agree to a move into an early game, innings eater, bridge to the back end role. The best case for him now is to bump Madson out of the 7th inning slot with everyone else moving forward to pitching in earlier parts of the game accordingly. Then we would only have to clear out Condrey or Seanez to make room. It really is quite a mess. Don't get me wrong, I surely do not want to see us continue as is all season long, but it's not going to be easy to make any significant changes.— bski
- KAREN: I want to go a bit further with my thinking on this. Usually, there is not much quality pitching to be had at the deadline. Every year teams overpay to pick up a mediocre pitcher who is somehow supposed to get them over the top. Remember everyone drooling over Sidney Ponson? Sidney Ponson!!! Our own Kris Benson got everyone hot and bothered a few years ago as well. A lot has been made about the Phils really looking to stock their farm system using all the picks they had in last week's draft. I just don't see the Phils turning around and trading the few prospects they have in an attempt to pick up a mid-season rental who, most likely, won't be much of an improvement. I think they are looking long-term and counting on some of these prospects to help US, hopefully beginning next year.— bski
- Picking up a trade deadline starter is usually a bad deal and I don't think Pat G. is looking to rape the farm system to pick up a Wolf, Maddux or any of the other has beens put there. I'd rather roll the dice and hope I get a Bob Walk or Marty Bystrom at midseason from the crop down on the farm. And Truth, you gotta take your pills every day...Utley not a prime time player, yeah right. You still waiting on your man Ryan to "carry" the team? I'm looking forward to him just getting to .230— jimmymack
- I've been holding off on saying this but it needs to be said. I love how everyone at the Phils front office was acting like having Myers return to the rotation was like adding a guaranteed front line starter. Don't they remember that before his move to the bullpen he never was that? He always had great stuff but has never learned how to pitch. You can't blow 91-93 mph fastballs by anyone, I don't care what your attitude is or how much you're "not afraid of anyone." Myers is a spaz (ask his wife's face or the reporters last night), most likely with undiagnosed ADHD, who can't concentrate or be intellectual enough to actually pitch effectively consistently. He is too stubborn - a lot like Padilla - who thinks his stuff is so good he doesn't have to work as hard on the mound like everyone else. He should take notes from Moyer but he won't. I saw this coming and I'm sure most of you did too. The bullpen suits him because he only has to concentrate in spurts.— phillyfan33
- Before anybody starts, let's not put all the blame for tonight's loss on Gordon. Yes, he was a disaster, but where was the offense. Hamels pitched fantastic, but you're not going to win many games when you only score two runs. We had Gregg on the ropes in the 9th but were only able to push across one run and that's just not good enough. We got our first two on and had Victorino, Utley, and Howard coming up. Absolutely need to get more than one run on a groundout. We better find the bats before tomorrow's game.— bski
- Why the HECK did Tom McCarthy interview Cantu???— Norma
- Hey, I've been a Gordon defender this year, but... that was a horrible performance. He was simply pitching from a position of fear, afraid to throw a strike. He's supposed to be the seasoned vet, not the scared rookie. By the time he threw the meatball, did anyone think the outcome would be different? The only unknown was how far the ball would travel. Really disappointing.— bobby
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